He looked fearsome, his dark scales covered in jagged white lightning runes—just as in her dream. Yenni took hold of his face and he lowered it, so that she could press her forehead to his.

“I love you,” she whispered.

The next morning Yenni awoke feeling rested and calm, like a weight had been lifted from her. Weysh flew her into the academy, dropping her off at the library, and as she was dismounting a dragon called to them from the steps of the library.

“Oho! Weysh!” cried the blue-skinned young man. He was differently blue-skinned than Zui—darker, with eyes like sapphires. “I heard the good news! Congratulations!”

Weysh looked apprehensive, and Yenni knew he was wondering what fresh lunacy the dailies had written about him.

“What news is that, Sween?”

“About Noriago!” he cried. “Don’t tell me you don’t know? I thought they’d have told you first! He’s been apprehended! I heard it from Clairette.”

“That’s wonderful!” cried Yenni.

“Yes, everyone’s talking about it.”

“En? Truly? Excellent! I expect I’ll hear from the peacekeepers soon.” Weysh collected his “flight toll” and left Yenni to her studies, joining his classmate and questioning him about Noriago’s arrest as they ambled down the walkway. Yenni exhaled a happy sigh. With the last looming threat taken care of, it felt like she and Weysh could breathe. At the very least they could sleep outside in peace if they chose. For the first time in weeks, perhaps since she’d come to Cresh, Yenni had a carefree day. She started by preparing for her runelore class later that week, then she met Diedre for lunch at the dining hall, and she didn’t even have to see Mainard at all, as he taught none of her classes that day.

In the evening she went to Riverbank Chambers to check her messages. It was far too soon to expect anything from back home, but the academy would also leave memorandums and reminders, not to mention sometimes Diedre left her funny little notes about her day, which Yenni loved to read.

But when she checked her letter box, she found something she’d never expected: a note from Carmenna.

Dear Yenni Ajani,

I want to say I’m sorry for how things ended between us. I abandoned you when you needed me most, and I feel terrible about that. I hope that you will allow me to take you to dinner this evening and apologize in person. I know a wonderful place in the Southern Quarter. If you agree, please meet me at student services at the eighth hour of the evening. As well, there are some sensitive things I want to discuss with you, things that would be difficult to say in front of Weysh, so I’d very much appreciate it if the two of us could meet alone.

Sincerely,
Carmenna